Castle s02e10 Episode Script
One Man's Treasure
There are two kinds of folks who sit around thinking about how to kill people: Psychopaths and mystery writers.
I'm the kind that pays better.
Who am I? I'm Rick Castle.
Castle.
Castle.
I really am ruggedly handsome, aren't I? Every writer needs inspiration and I found mine.
Detective Kate Beckett.
Beckett.
Beckett.
- "Nikki Heat"? - The character he's basing on you.
And thanks to my friendship with the mayor, I get to be on her case.
I'd be happy to let you spank me.
And together we catch killers.
We make a pretty good team, you know.
Like Starsky and Hutch.
Turner and Hooch.
You do remind me a little of Hooch.
Sector six maverick.
This is your captain up and on the mount.
Listen up, ladies and gentlemen, our fugitive has been on the run for 90 minutes.
We're in the pipes.
Let's keep our feet dry this time.
Jungle Radio.
This is One Delta Bravo.
Eyes on suspect.
Requesting backup.
Over.
Requesting permission to deploy laser activated radioactive immobilizer.
Permission denied.
Really, Richard, I have all of these new lines to learn before my play goes into rehearsal.
- I'm going in.
- Lf that comes any closer, you're going to have Black Hawk Down on your hands.
- What's all this? - Official police tactical training.
Hey, Dad, did you get a chance to sign that permission slip I gave you the other day? Haven't you learned to forge my signature yet? Credit cards, yes.
Permission slips, no.
It's for my civics class.
Every student has a three-day volunteer internship at one of the city's agencies, law enforcement, sanitation, fire.
I'll go with fire.
They have the best calendars.
I went with law enforcement.
Detective Beckett already said it's cool if I volunteer down at the station.
Well, as a member of the NYPD volunteer squad, I would be happy to show you the ropes.
Actually, Detective Beckett is giving me my orientation course tomorrow morning.
Then I would be honored to carpool with you or share a cab.
Hmm.
Castle.
Prelim suggests victim died of a single gunshot wound to the chest at close range.
- Any signs of struggle? - Contusions coming up, here and here.
But it's likely a result of his tumble down the trash chute.
- What? - What are you doing? Well, I can't breathe through my nose.
I happen to have a very acute sense of smell.
Suck it up, Castle.
Real cops deal with worse.
Yeah, not to mention medical examiners.
Do you know how long I have to shower before heading out on a date? No, but if you need someone to time it for you I'd be happy to Found it.
Must've fallen out of his jacket on the way down.
Yep, that's our guy.
All right, the name is Sam Parker.
And the driver's license has his address placed in Connecticut.
Maybe he's visiting someone in the building.
You mean dropping by.
Ryan here.
Thanks, bro.
Esposito's up on 15.
Says he found out where our guy was shot.
All right.
Let's go.
From the blood spatter, our guy was shot right here.
Then he was shoved head-first down the chute.
A killer who cleans up after himself.
Very American Psycho.
He probably wanted to get out of the building unnoticed.
Figured that the dumpster wouldn't be emptied for a couple of days.
He didn't count on a tenant on the seventh floor, a hottie, seeing the body drop as she threw out her pizza box.
Is she distraught? Because I can be very comforting.
- CSUs? - Team's on its way.
Neighbors didn't hear the shot.
Poor man's silencer.
Must've picked it up from this pile here and then thrown it back when he was done.
Resourceful.
How did a clean-cut, suburban guy end up this far from home, dead and thrown out with the trash? Are you ready? Here we go.
I know Alexis already talked to you.
I just wanted to make sure that you're really okay with having her here.
I wouldn't have said yes if I wasn't.
Well, yeah, but you're busy, and I just don't want her to be in the way.
Big Castle is the one who likes to get in the way.
I'm sure Little Castle will be a pleasure.
Sam Parker, age 38.
Lives in Connecticut with his wife Helen and his two kids.
Wife's en route to the morgue to ID the body.
We contacted the leasing office, and they don't have a Sam Parker listed as a tenant.
So, he probably was visiting someone.
Uniforms are canvassing.
No hits yet.
CSU's working to untangle the prints, but since it's a common room, there's probably dozens of them.
However, the chute handle, doorknob, and soda bottle were all wiped clean.
All right, let's go visit the wife at the morgue.
Maybe she can tell us what he was doing in the city tonight.
And if she doesn't know, that tells us something, too.
Can you Fresh.
- And hot, and hot, and hot.
- He doesn't make me coffee.
- You okay? - This is never easy, no matter how much experience you have.
Oh, my God.
I'm Detective Kate Beckett.
I'm with the NYPD.
- I'm very sorry for your loss.
- Do you have any idea who did this? We are doing everything we can to figure that out.
Excuse me, we're in the middle of an identification.
- That's why she's here.
- And you are? I'm here to identify my husband.
Oh, my God.
Excuse me? Your husband? - What's your relation to the victim? - I'm his fiancée.
- I'm sorry.
What did you just say? - I'm his fiancée.
Dude, you are so busted.
I don't know how to get the two of them out of here.
I'm just Is that our vic's wife? - Fiancée.
- The wife is over there.
Come again? - Fiancée.
- Mmm-hmm.
- Wife.
- Hmm.
- Oh, boy.
- I know, isn't it delicious? Okay, who do we talk to first? Okay.
I know this is difficult, Miss Reed, but if we could ask you a few questions How long did you know Mr.
Parker? - Parker? - Sam.
His name's Jake.
Jake Holland.
Hmm According to his driver's license, it's Sam Parker.
It was all a lie? Even his name? - Where did the two of you meet? - At work.
A girlfriend of mine said that there was this great guy in her department, - and did I want to meet him.
- And when did you two last speak? This afternoon.
He called to say he was on his way back to the city.
His father is in the hospital upstate.
He has late stage Alzheimer's, and Jake would drive up to see him every I'm so stupid.
He was spending the weekends with his wife.
So, you were intending to see him tonight? We were going to get takeout and watch a movie.
A neighbor stopped me in the hallway and told me that the police had been there.
But when I called, nobody could tell me anything.
- I guess now I know why.
- Because we ID'd him as Sam Parker.
Somebody at the morgue confirmed that a body had been picked up at his address, so I went down there.
When he proposed, I told my best friend, and she was all, "You've only known him six months.
" But I didn't care.
He was the one.
How could he do this? This is insane.
Who is this woman? Sam would never He loved me.
Our kids meant everything to him.
Apparently there was more to it than just the affair, Mrs.
Parker.
Your husband was using a false name at his job.
Well, I don't understand.
Why would he do that? We're still trying to figure that out.
But from what we understand, he met Miss Reed at his office.
He started there about six months ago.
He'd been passed over for a promotion at his old firm.
There are not a lot of opportunities in green solutions, so he took the job, even though it was in the city.
Green solutions, as in environmentally conscious? He did corporate consulting.
How to reduce waste, save energy.
It was a passion of his.
It's very commendable.
Well, all that working and commuting were running him ragged, so he found a cheap sublet.
It was hard, but if it all worked out, we were going to move down to the city so that we could all be together.
Mrs.
Parker, did you have any idea that your husband was having an affair? I know what you're thinking.
Why didn't I notice the signs? We have two children together.
We do not have a nanny, so every second of every minute of my day is about my kids.
And if there was an issue, I'd call Sam on his cell phone, and he would always answer.
I never, never thought I'd be sitting here justifying my marriage.
With the wife, it was "Only call my cell during the week" routine.
With the fiancée, he pulled out the trusty "I can't call you from the hospital" act.
Man, my girlfriend freaks out if I don't check in, like, every hour.
You do check in, like, every hour.
Sometimes more.
This guy had both of these women believing that they were his one and only.
People believe what they want to believe.
Till the dead truth sets in.
What, you think one of them caught on to what Sam was doing? And didn't take too kindly when they discovered they weren't the only woman in his life.
I don't know.
They seemed pretty shocked to me.
Yeah, to me, too, but we've gotta cover all of our bases.
Both of them had soft alibis.
The wife said that she was watching TV while the kids were upstairs sleeping.
And the fiancée said that she was home alone getting ready to meet him.
We'll run phone and financials, see if anything pops.
Thank you.
- Could I run - Right.
Do you think he would've gone through with it? Through with what? Marrying Sarah if he hadn't gotten killed.
Well, that was a pretty big rock he put on her finger.
With the fake identity he had set up, the county clerk's office never would have flagged him for someone who was already married.
Yeah, but Sam was pretending to be Jake before he met Sarah.
- I don't understand the fake identity.
- Maybe to land the job? I understand fibbing on your resume, but changing your identity? The math doesn't quite add up for me.
You know what math doesn't add up for me? - Two wives.
- One wife too many for you? Two wives too many.
Seems like the common denominator in that equation is you.
Good news.
I'm finally embracing the lecture you gave me on the importance of organic food.
You made my lunch? You think I'm gonna let you risk your life on the vending machines and stale donuts of the break - Wow.
- What? You look so grown up.
- Really? - Really.
- Well, Gram said presentation is vital.
- Well I forgot my phone.
That ever happen to you with me? One day you look, and you see your boy is all grown up? I'm still waiting for that moment, actually.
I set you up for that, didn't I? Okay, so this is the property room.
It's where we keep all the items that we find at a crime scene that aren't classified as evidence.
- Sort of like a lost and found? - Sort of.
Why don't the victims' families claim this stuff? Well, loved ones are aware of the big ticket items, like rings and watches.
But things like sunglasses and lighters, those usually go unclaimed.
Are these case numbers? Exactly, so the idea is to get rid of all of this stuff and stick it into storage.
But before we do that, we have to catalog it, just in case someone comes in with a claim.
Okay, so you need a description of every item along with its corresponding case number downloaded into the database.
And I know that this isn't exactly what you were thinking of when you asked to volunteer, but we're low on manpower, and this would be very helpful.
Don't worry about it.
This place is gonna be so organized when I'm done, - you won't even recognize it.
- I bet I won't.
- Detective Beckett? - Huh? I know my dad can sometimes be a handful.
And by sometimes, I mean all the time.
But I wanna let you know you don't have to worry about me.
I'm all about getting the job done.
Beckett.
- Sir.
- Well? - Alexis? She's fine.
You know, her first day at preschool, I hid outside in the bushes all day just to make sure she was all right.
First time my son went to summer camp, I followed the bus all the way to the Adirondacks.
You two are both either very sweet or very creepy.
Super let us into Sam Parker's apartment.
Jake Holland's apartment.
- Same guy, bro.
Yeah, just trying to keep it straight for everybody.
Anyway, there were no signs of a struggle, and Sam's bag was - Jake's bag.
- Was still sitting by the door from when he came home from visiting his family in Connecticut.
Which explains why we found the Sam Parker wallet on him when he was killed, as opposed to this one we found in his dresser.
Jake Holland's wallet.
It's got his driver's license with his New York address, work ID, the whole shebang.
Please tell me that's the old double-sided picture frame gag.
Lovely fiancée which can easily be swapped out for the wife and kids, should they ever visit Daddy in the big city.
Big news is we found this sitting on the kitchen counter.
There's a voicemail you're gonna want to hear.
I'm not going to let you get away with this, you worthless piece of trash.
If you don't call me back tonight, then my next call is to Helen.
Somebody caught on to Sam's double life.
We ran the number.
Belongs to one Charles DePetro.
DePetro? That's his wife's maiden name.
- It's hyphenated on her driver's license.
Mmm-hmm.
- Charlie is Helen's brother.
- He found out what Sam was up to.
And decided to take out the trash.
Mr.
DePetro, I can understand the instinct of protection.
If I had a sister, and her husband was cheating on her, - I'd want to set him straight, too.
- That's not why I left the message.
Did you know that Sam was cheating on Helen? Not until she called me last night and told me he'd been killed.
Then what did you mean when you said, - "I won't let you get away with this"? - He owed me money.
So, Sam borrowed money from you? Twenty Gs.
He needed it to cover the mortgage.
They'd already borrowed against the equity in the house.
- And what was the arrangement? - He said he needed a couple months.
When he started the new job in the city, I figured he'd be making more dough.
- Helen didn't know about this? - He didn't want her to worry.
And as long as he paid me back, I said it'd be our secret.
- And did he pay any of it back? - Not a cent.
He kept saying he was pulling in less money.
I thought he was lying.
Why take the job that far from home and force Helen to deal with the kids on her own? Comes out now, he wasn't doing it for his family.
He wanted the freedom to cheat on my sister.
Brother's alibi checked out.
He was working late when SamlJake was shot.
Any word on Parker's financials? Yeah, they were a paycheck away from defaulting on their mortgage.
You know, the brother said that Sam was pulling in less money at his new job.
If Sam was strapped for cash, why would he quit the job he had to take one that paid less? Didn't his wife say he was passed over for a promotion? Maybe it was a pride thing.
Yeah, but you factor in the sublet, not to mention gas, that's a high price to pay for pride.
Yeah, well, never underestimate the fragility of the male ego.
- See, that's just a stereotype - Don't.
Don't.
That's She is baiting us, all right.
Just ignore her, and she'll lose her witchy powers.
You wish.
All right, let's go off to Parker's office.
Lose something? Where Where's my broom? - I was looking.
- Yeah.
Yeah? For the record, I did not.
I don't know.
Maybe I should've seen it.
His resume was almost too good to be true.
Top of his class at Berkeley, Stanford Business School.
He must've really needed this job to lie so bad.
So, there's no other reason you can think of as to why he lied? - No.
- When you hired him, did you look into any of his references? Of course I did, Detective.
I called them all myself.
And I got nothing but glowing recommendations.
For a guy who didn't exist.
I'd like to take a look at a copy of his resume, if you still have it.
I'll have human resources e-mail it over to you.
Before we go, did you know that Mr.
Parker was romantically involved with one of your employees? Sarah, yeah, she's one of my best engineers.
Ever notice any drama there? Drunken fighting at an office party, that sort of thing? No.
Never.
They actually seemed like a pretty solid couple.
And she must be going through hell right now.
We're sorry.
The number you have reached is not in service.
Please check the number, or try your call That's the last one.
Every single reference he gave is suddenly out of service? When, according to his boss, they were all up and running six months ago? So who was answering the dummy lines? Let's get a warrant for all these numbers.
I'd like to know who they were registered to.
Okay.
This guy went to some pretty serious lengths to get this job.
They must have amazing dental.
Ew.
I don't know where you got this work ethic, but it certainly was not from me.
- How's it going? - Pretty good.
The computer was a little glitchy at first, but that's because no one had run a software update in, like, two years.
Plus it picked up some viruses I had to zap.
I am realizing that you are way over-qualified for this job.
Told you she was a smarty.
But I do have one question.
Like you said before, most of the items here are pretty junky and meaningless.
I did find this, though.
Oh! It's a brag book.
So you can brag about your kids.
I used to have one in my wallet.
Now, it's on my phone.
Some of the pictures are really old.
Like, they're one of a kind.
It seems like something worth returning, only it wasn't tagged or anything.
Yeah, but the problem is, is without a case number, it's difficult to find out who the victim was and how to get this back to the family.
Okay, so then it just goes in the storage box, right? I'll tell you what.
I'll give you a list of all the detectives who possibly worked this case.
Show them the pictures, maybe it'll strike up a memory.
Only, don't bother them if they seem busy.
- You're one to talk.
- Thanks so much.
Mmm-hmm.
Excuse me.
Beckett.
- Hmm.
What's this? - Dad.
Okay.
I'll be right there.
- The fiancée's here.
She wants to talk.
- Have fun.
I knew she looked familiar at the morgue, - but I couldn't place it at first.
- So, you're saying that last night wasn't the first time you had seen Helen Parker? Well, there was something about her face.
And then it hit me.
I had seen her in front of Jake's apartment a couple weeks ago.
Was she leaving the building? No.
She was sitting in her car across the street.
- And you're sure it was Helen Parker? - I'm sure of it now.
A positive identification from all the way across the street in a car? I made a note of it because the way she was staring at me was creepy.
Like she was sizing me up.
Miss Reed, the past 24 hours have been overwhelming, to say the least.
It's not uncommon for witnesses' memories to be confused after a traumatic event.
- We just need to be absolutely sure.
- Look, I know what I saw.
She was sitting in a silver hybrid staring at the front of the building.
And did you tell your fiancé about this? No.
At the time, I just dismissed it.
But now It makes me wonder if I'm the only person in the whole situation who didn't know what was really going on.
Silver hybrid.
I guess Helen did know about her husband's affair.
That'd be a pretty strong motive.
You came all this way because she told you some crazy story about me being parked outside the apartment.
Mrs.
Parker, we have to take every lead seriously.
Did you ever think that maybe she made this up to take the attention off of herself? - She was specific about your car.
- A silver hybrid? That's like saying somebody was wearing black shoes.
That still doesn't answer the question.
No.
In the six months Sam had the apartment, I never went there.
You never popped down just once for a date night? I mean, Connecticut's not that far a drive.
Well, when you have two children under the age of 10, popping down for date night midweek is nearly impossible.
Sam only came home every weekend, and I would see him then.
Okay.
Well, we just needed to check.
It's possible that Miss Reed was mistaken.
Did it ever occur to you that maybe she was the one that knew he was lying? We're considering every scenario.
We got a lot of hang-ups last month.
Do you think that's a coincidence? Did you tell Sam about it? I did.
He said it was telemarketers, but it was her.
How can you be sure? I know she has our phone number.
She's called since Sam was killed.
Sarah called you? She called about the funeral details.
Can you believe that? If she thinks she's gonna show her face here, she's sadly mistaken.
Was that the only time you heard from Sarah? No.
She called this morning and left some ridiculous message about getting things back from Sam that she had given him.
And then, on and on about some pen that had been her grandfather's We were married for 10 years and eight months.
If she thinks that her six-month affair can hold a candle to that I'm not giving her anything.
That was a long drive.
I can see why he got the apartment in the city.
So, I did some background on Parker's job situation.
Turns out that his old employer, Connecticut Solutions, has been circling the drain.
Over the last couple of years, they've lost half their market share to his new employer, New York Recycle.
Sounds like Sam was abandoning a sinking ship.
To join the winning team.
Supposedly, New York Recycle came up with some new technology that turned out to be a game changer.
Apparently, these two CEOs have been major rivals from day one.
Like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, Kobe and LeBron, Jolie and Aniston.
We get the picture.
Rivals.
Yes.
My point was maybe that's why Sam faked his resume.
He didn't think that New York Recycle would hire him if they knew he was from Connecticut Solutions.
- Well, that makes sense.
- Thank you.
You're kidding me! Thank you.
You've been very helpful.
Hey, the warrants just came through on the numbers on Sam's resume.
His references' phone numbers, they're all billed and registered to Connecticut Solutions, his old firm.
Okay, why would they set up dummy phone lines and give phony recommendations? - They wanted Sam to get hired.
- He wasn't passed over for promotion.
He was planted at New York Recycle as a corporate spy.
I'm sorry.
I'm just trying to get my head around this idea.
I mean, this is the guy who organized the potato sack race at the Labor Day picnic.
Well, there's considerable circumstantial evidence that he was planted here by his former employer.
We just don't have the proof yet.
Obviously, no one wants to get to the bottom of this more than I do, so you'll have our complete cooperation.
What do you think Connecticut Solutions was after? Well, it's our battery recycling technology.
I'm sure you both know you're not supposed to dump your batteries in with your trash.
Now batteries need to be disposed of properly, or else the acids and the heavy metals will leach out - And get into the water table.
- Exactly, yes.
The problem is, storing battery sludge can be quite expensive.
But we've figured out a way to actually recycle the stuff.
So when you bid on a contract to haul away old batteries, you can do it cheaper.
Which is why Connecticut Solutions lost half of its market share to you.
Bottom line is they can't compete.
Was Sarah Reed on the team of engineers - that developed that technology? - Yeah.
That's right.
That's probably why Sam Parker went out of his way to romance her.
For access.
It's pretty smart.
Pardon me, but don't you mean despicable? The two aren't mutually exclusive.
Would you mind if our forensic IT team took a look at Sarah's computer and Sam's, Jake's, as well? They should be able to tell us whether your security was compromised, and whether he got ahold of anything proprietary.
Anything we can do to help.
Okay, thanks.
Forensic IT's taken possession of Sarah and Sam's computers.
You know, there's a lot of corporate secrets I can see sending a spy to steal, but all this skulking around for some battery sludge? Well, like the man said, it's a business like any other.
But whoever runs Connecticut Solutions is gonna have a hell of a lot of explaining to do.
Is it true? - Miss Reed? - What they're saying, is it true? Look, I can't go into details, but there's evidence that Jake was trying to steal information.
Then it was all an act? You know, that doesn't mean he didn't care about you.
That's exactly what it means.
He never loved me.
He was just using me the whole time.
This guy was good.
He was running a secret e-mail client from inside a hidden partition in his hard drive.
English.
For my partner here.
He set things up so that he could send e-mails outside the company network - in case anyone ever came snooping.
- What kind of e-mails? I speak computer.
This, however, looks like chemistry.
Was he communicating with anyone in particular? Yeah, all these e-mails were to the same guy.
ABerman@conn-sol.
net.
Andy Berman, he's the CEO of Connecticut Solutions.
He must've been who Sam was reporting to.
They exchanged a bunch of e-mails a couple months ago.
Then nothing till the night Sam was killed.
- And what'd that one say? - "Call me.
We need to talk.
" Okay, yes it's true.
Sam e-mailed me the other night, and I called him.
- From a pay phone? - At a gas station near my house.
Very cloak-and-dagger of you.
He said he needed to meet me in the city.
He said he finally figured out how New York Recycle was pulling it off.
So you admit that you planted him there to steal their battery technology? They've been underbidding us left and right, stealing our business.
Getting our hands on their recycling method was a way to level the playing field.
They weren't gonna share it, so I offered Sam a million-dollar payday if he could get a hold of it.
And when he called and said he'd completed his mission, you rushed right over.
The thing about Sam is he and I had been down this road before.
What do you mean? He'd told you he'd found it before? I wasted hundreds of thousands on research and development with the stuff he brought me.
The chemical formulas were never complete.
So when my engineers tried to fill in the blanks and test them, we failed every time.
Finally, we ran out of money, so a couple of months ago, I had to cut Sam loose.
If Sam wasn't working for you, what was he calling about? He said he needed to show me something.
- What? - I don't know.
I drove into the city to meet him at his apartment, but as I pulled up, there were cops all over the entrance.
I got a bad feeling about it, so I turned around, and I drove home.
That's a very interesting story, Mr.
Berman, but I have a different ending.
One where you went upstairs to Sam's apartment, and he told you that he finally found the real thing.
You said so yourself.
Your company didn't have the million dollars to pay him.
So you did the one thing that you could.
You killed him, and you stole it in a desperate attempt to save your sinking company.
I would like to call my lawyer now, please.
It was pretty cool, the way you filled in the story there.
I think I must be rubbing off on you.
- That sounded dirtier than I meant it.
Yo, Beckett.
Dispatch just got a call out of Connecticut.
New Haven PD have two women involved in an altercation.
Speaking of dirty.
And the ladies in question are asking for you - before they're taken in for booking.
- For me? Why? - Oh, no.
Oh, yes.
They're holding Helen Parker for assault and Sarah Reed for trespassing.
A wife and fiancée catfight! Please tell me we can stop for popcorn on the way.
Castle.
Pictures.
Miss Reed was trespassing in the detached office.
When Mrs.
Parker confronted her, an altercation ensued.
She tried to rip my purse off my arm, almost dislocated my shoulder.
Miss Reed, what were you doing in the Parkers' office? - She wouldn't give me back my pen.
- Your pen? My grandfather's fountain pen.
I gave it to Jake.
Sam, his name was Sam! I gave it to him before I knew he was a lying sack.
- And she wouldn't give it back to me.
- I looked for it in the office.
There was nothing there.
I have no idea what she's talking about.
Really? Well, then what do you call this? - That was in the office? - Yes, it was right there in the drawer.
How she could have missed it, I don't know.
Unless of course, she was lying and never bothered to look.
Miss Reed, I understand how you're feeling, - but breaking into someone's home - No, this is my grandfather's pen.
I never would've given it to Jake if I had known.
Ladies, I'm wondering if maybe we can put this whole nasty episode behind us.
She broke into my house.
God knows what else she stole.
Do you mind if I take a look at the purse? Not at all.
Happy now? Is everyone okay? Can we all just walk away? If I ever catch your face around here For crying out loud, give it a rest.
No wonder the guy had an ulcer.
I would, too, if I was married to you.
An ulcer? What are you talking about, you crazy lunatic? - Do not call me crazy - Look! Look! Hello! Ladies, look! I understand that you're both angry and feeling betrayed, but taking it out on each other isn't going to help.
So, you can both press charges and make a bad thing worse.
Or you can calm down and walk away.
Option number two is a limited time offer.
- Love you.
- See you.
Please tell me you did not sleep in the break room again.
I went home.
I just couldn't stop thinking about that catfight last night.
Would you think less of me if I said, "Me, too"? I kept thinking that, that was a long way for Sarah to go just to pick up that pen.
And that whole thing with the ulcers was I know.
That was a great Desperate Housewives moment, the way Sarah just rubbed Helen's face in it.
The thing is, there was nothing about an ulcer in Lanie's autopsy report.
- Sam had a clean bill of health.
- Then what was Sarah talking about? The boys are looking into it right now.
But according to Sam's date book, he had doctor's appointments every Tuesday for the last three weeks.
Well, if he was being a hypochondriac about it, they would've told him right away he didn't have an ulcer.
So, what was he doing every Tuesday at 1:00 p.
M? Another woman? So, the doctor's office has no patient records for Sam Parker or Jake Holland.
Car service Sam was using confirmed that he gave the doctor's office as his destination when he was scheduling the cars.
Thanks, Louise.
But I talked to the drivers.
Sam changed the destination once they picked him up.
First week, he headed out to this residential address out in Long Island.
The next week he drove out to New York Recycle's processing plant up in Paramus.
And then, last week, he hit the port out in Newark.
Sam wouldn't have wanted Sarah to get onto his 007 routine, so maybe he was slipping away to do his spying.
- At some house in Long Island? - So, another woman? She and Sam were taking long romantic walks at Port Newark.
Why you gotta ruin the dream? Listen, Sam was changing his destination last minute with the car service because he was trying to hide something.
So, let's look in the addresses and see why he felt the need to give Sarah a cover story.
State law requires a 10-minute break every five hours.
Thanks, Dad.
I needed this.
So, how goes your property room sleuthing? Not amazing.
Oh, no.
What happened to that list of detectives Beckett gave you? I just hit my last dead end.
Well, what's important is, is that you tried.
I know.
I just really wanted to get those pictures back to the victim's family.
I mean, I'd want them if they were pictures that you'd carried around.
If you're imagining a scenario where I am no longer here, and watching over your every move, and protecting you from every danger, I can assure you that will never happen.
- I'm just saying I think it's important.
- No, you're right.
But remember, there's a reason why a lot of this stuff goes unclaimed.
I guess I just need to focus on cataloging for the rest of my time here.
And before you know it, you'll be retired from law enforcement and back in the 11 th grade.
- Thanks, Dad.
- For what? You're welcome.
You just gave me a new lead.
So, I'll finish your cocoa.
Two relationships.
Can you imagine the stress of trying to pull that off? Yes.
From a literary point of view.
- Hey, what'd you guys find? - Well, we canvassed using a picture.
We came up with a longshoreman in Port Newark who remembered Sam.
Apparently, he'd been asking about shipping manifests.
Sounds random.
The longshoreman couldn't help him, so Sam moved on.
What about the address from the first Tuesday? Here is where it gets good.
The Long Island address is the residence of a single mother, Lauren Branston, and her 6-year-old daughter.
I told you.
It was another woman! Our love triangle just became a love square.
Nope.
Still a triangle.
Different name.
But that's The fiancée, Sarah Reed.
Well, it looks like Sam wasn't the only one hiding his identity.
The engagement, the relationship.
We know they were all fake.
Love is a hard thing to disprove, Detective Beckett.
This is a copy of your real driver's license, and this is your Social Security card.
And this is the employment record from New York Recycle under an assumed identity.
- Nothing like a fresh start.
- We did a little digging.
Turns out, New York Recycle isn't the first company you've worked for under a new identity.
- A girl's gotta make a living.
- Here's what I'm thinking.
Lance Carlberg figured out that Sam was a spy.
He contacted you, an expert in corporate espionage, - and asked you to intercept him.
- I was just doing my job.
Leading a man on isn't a crime, is it, Detective? Should be.
I'm not looking into the leading-on part.
I'm looking into a murder.
And you had access to Sam's apartment.
- And you were hired to take care of him.
- I was hired to get in his way.
It was supposed to look like I had access to classified information, so when I struck up a flirtation, he thought the relationship would give him the access he needed.
Once you had the relationship, what was the plan? I just had to leave my laptop lying around his apartment once or twice.
My key card ended up in his laundry one weekend.
Men think they're smart.
The trick is to keep letting them think it.
Um So, what was on the computer? Lance was feeding Sam these partial chemical formulas.
He thought it would keep Connecticut Solutions going in circles.
- Why not just fire him? - Why not kill two birds with one stone? Keep the enemy close and run Connecticut into the ground.
And what makes you think that Sam was falling for your routine? Well, I wondered at first, because he wouldn't sleep with me.
And then I realized that he was being faithful to his wife, so I pretended to buy his whole "I'm old-fashioned" thing.
He thought he was playing me.
He was.
This is Sam's autopsy report.
- Sam didn't have an ulcer.
- He was seeing a doctor for it.
No.
That was just a story.
He made you.
No way.
I would've been able to tell.
I hate to burst this little Alias bubble you got going on, but Sam found your house in Long Island.
He knew you were more than just a flirty engineer.
He played along not to arouse suspicion, but I think you already knew that.
You knew that he made you, and that he found the secret method.
And that's why you killed him.
I think that sounds like a great Spy vs.
Spy story, but there's one problem.
The night Sam was killed, I was at my daughter's recital, and there's about 20 other parents that can vouch for that.
I like her, for the murder.
See that crazy look in her eye? That's crazy killer look.
Yo.
Sarah's alibi checks out.
Dance teacher puts her in the front row at the time of the murder.
She's still got crazy eyes.
He never loved her, she never loved him, and they both thought that they were playing each other.
Which still doesn't explain who killed him.
We're missing something.
The pen.
If Sarah's relationship with Sam was a fake Then why did she give him her grandfather's special pen? And what was Sarah really looking for in Sam's office last night? Nothing.
This doesn't make any sense.
We went through Sarah's purse.
If there was something in it, we would have found it.
- Castle, what are you doing? - I'm writing a scene.
Let's say Sarah found what it was she was looking for.
She had it in her hand.
That's when she would've heard Helen coming out of the house.
She would have had to have gotten rid of whatever it was that she found.
Great.
You wanna write the part where we find it? So Helen would never know.
What do you know? Power mode is still on.
We're gonna need some tape.
These are pics that our vic took while he was supposedly at the doctor.
According to New York Recycle, they ship their battery sludge up to the recycling plant in Paramus.
You don't need a boat to get to Paramus.
Secret method, my ass.
They weren't processing it.
They were switching labels and dumping it.
That Sam was quite the Erin Brockovich, wasn't he? There was no secret method to battery recycling.
You shipped the sludge out on cargo barges and dumped it in the ocean.
The money you saved on storage and processing, you just put into your own pocket instead.
Listen, I know my rights.
And I don't have to say anything.
You sold the bill of goods to your customers.
You promised them that they were gonna help save the world.
Instead, you poisoned it for money.
What happened, Carlberg? Sam confront you? Threaten to ruin you? I didn't kill anyone.
And you, you have no proof.
Actually, I do.
We ran ballistics.
It's a match.
We found it in the dumpster outside your apartment building.
Had you recycled, you might have gotten away with it.
The night that your husband was murdered, he went back to his office to grab the last few pieces of evidence he had collected.
And by then Carlberg had already become suspicious.
When he realized that your husband was contacting his old boss for help in exposing his company, Carlberg attempted to buy his silence.
- But Sam wouldn't accept the bribe.
- Of course not, not Sam.
You said that the environment was the most important thing to your husband.
Well, he died trying to save it.
And we thought that you should know that.
Thank you.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Check it out.
The EPA is shutting down New York Recycle.
Beckett.
Anna Noles? No, I don't know any Anna Noles.
I do.
- Yeah.
Send her up.
- So, who's Anna Noles? The pictures I found belonged to her mother.
- Really? How'd you track them down? - It was something you said, Dad.
About me retiring from law enforcement.
It got me thinking.
What if the officer who had originally worked the case had since retired? Nice work.
I'm very impressed you were able to close this case.
Thank you.
I mean, I know it's not like the important stuff you do.
But I You know, when a person loses someone, this is important.
I bet that's her.
You know, maybe you should talk to her.
Thank you.
She's a chip off the old block, isn't she?
I'm the kind that pays better.
Who am I? I'm Rick Castle.
Castle.
Castle.
I really am ruggedly handsome, aren't I? Every writer needs inspiration and I found mine.
Detective Kate Beckett.
Beckett.
Beckett.
- "Nikki Heat"? - The character he's basing on you.
And thanks to my friendship with the mayor, I get to be on her case.
I'd be happy to let you spank me.
And together we catch killers.
We make a pretty good team, you know.
Like Starsky and Hutch.
Turner and Hooch.
You do remind me a little of Hooch.
Sector six maverick.
This is your captain up and on the mount.
Listen up, ladies and gentlemen, our fugitive has been on the run for 90 minutes.
We're in the pipes.
Let's keep our feet dry this time.
Jungle Radio.
This is One Delta Bravo.
Eyes on suspect.
Requesting backup.
Over.
Requesting permission to deploy laser activated radioactive immobilizer.
Permission denied.
Really, Richard, I have all of these new lines to learn before my play goes into rehearsal.
- I'm going in.
- Lf that comes any closer, you're going to have Black Hawk Down on your hands.
- What's all this? - Official police tactical training.
Hey, Dad, did you get a chance to sign that permission slip I gave you the other day? Haven't you learned to forge my signature yet? Credit cards, yes.
Permission slips, no.
It's for my civics class.
Every student has a three-day volunteer internship at one of the city's agencies, law enforcement, sanitation, fire.
I'll go with fire.
They have the best calendars.
I went with law enforcement.
Detective Beckett already said it's cool if I volunteer down at the station.
Well, as a member of the NYPD volunteer squad, I would be happy to show you the ropes.
Actually, Detective Beckett is giving me my orientation course tomorrow morning.
Then I would be honored to carpool with you or share a cab.
Hmm.
Castle.
Prelim suggests victim died of a single gunshot wound to the chest at close range.
- Any signs of struggle? - Contusions coming up, here and here.
But it's likely a result of his tumble down the trash chute.
- What? - What are you doing? Well, I can't breathe through my nose.
I happen to have a very acute sense of smell.
Suck it up, Castle.
Real cops deal with worse.
Yeah, not to mention medical examiners.
Do you know how long I have to shower before heading out on a date? No, but if you need someone to time it for you I'd be happy to Found it.
Must've fallen out of his jacket on the way down.
Yep, that's our guy.
All right, the name is Sam Parker.
And the driver's license has his address placed in Connecticut.
Maybe he's visiting someone in the building.
You mean dropping by.
Ryan here.
Thanks, bro.
Esposito's up on 15.
Says he found out where our guy was shot.
All right.
Let's go.
From the blood spatter, our guy was shot right here.
Then he was shoved head-first down the chute.
A killer who cleans up after himself.
Very American Psycho.
He probably wanted to get out of the building unnoticed.
Figured that the dumpster wouldn't be emptied for a couple of days.
He didn't count on a tenant on the seventh floor, a hottie, seeing the body drop as she threw out her pizza box.
Is she distraught? Because I can be very comforting.
- CSUs? - Team's on its way.
Neighbors didn't hear the shot.
Poor man's silencer.
Must've picked it up from this pile here and then thrown it back when he was done.
Resourceful.
How did a clean-cut, suburban guy end up this far from home, dead and thrown out with the trash? Are you ready? Here we go.
I know Alexis already talked to you.
I just wanted to make sure that you're really okay with having her here.
I wouldn't have said yes if I wasn't.
Well, yeah, but you're busy, and I just don't want her to be in the way.
Big Castle is the one who likes to get in the way.
I'm sure Little Castle will be a pleasure.
Sam Parker, age 38.
Lives in Connecticut with his wife Helen and his two kids.
Wife's en route to the morgue to ID the body.
We contacted the leasing office, and they don't have a Sam Parker listed as a tenant.
So, he probably was visiting someone.
Uniforms are canvassing.
No hits yet.
CSU's working to untangle the prints, but since it's a common room, there's probably dozens of them.
However, the chute handle, doorknob, and soda bottle were all wiped clean.
All right, let's go visit the wife at the morgue.
Maybe she can tell us what he was doing in the city tonight.
And if she doesn't know, that tells us something, too.
Can you Fresh.
- And hot, and hot, and hot.
- He doesn't make me coffee.
- You okay? - This is never easy, no matter how much experience you have.
Oh, my God.
I'm Detective Kate Beckett.
I'm with the NYPD.
- I'm very sorry for your loss.
- Do you have any idea who did this? We are doing everything we can to figure that out.
Excuse me, we're in the middle of an identification.
- That's why she's here.
- And you are? I'm here to identify my husband.
Oh, my God.
Excuse me? Your husband? - What's your relation to the victim? - I'm his fiancée.
- I'm sorry.
What did you just say? - I'm his fiancée.
Dude, you are so busted.
I don't know how to get the two of them out of here.
I'm just Is that our vic's wife? - Fiancée.
- The wife is over there.
Come again? - Fiancée.
- Mmm-hmm.
- Wife.
- Hmm.
- Oh, boy.
- I know, isn't it delicious? Okay, who do we talk to first? Okay.
I know this is difficult, Miss Reed, but if we could ask you a few questions How long did you know Mr.
Parker? - Parker? - Sam.
His name's Jake.
Jake Holland.
Hmm According to his driver's license, it's Sam Parker.
It was all a lie? Even his name? - Where did the two of you meet? - At work.
A girlfriend of mine said that there was this great guy in her department, - and did I want to meet him.
- And when did you two last speak? This afternoon.
He called to say he was on his way back to the city.
His father is in the hospital upstate.
He has late stage Alzheimer's, and Jake would drive up to see him every I'm so stupid.
He was spending the weekends with his wife.
So, you were intending to see him tonight? We were going to get takeout and watch a movie.
A neighbor stopped me in the hallway and told me that the police had been there.
But when I called, nobody could tell me anything.
- I guess now I know why.
- Because we ID'd him as Sam Parker.
Somebody at the morgue confirmed that a body had been picked up at his address, so I went down there.
When he proposed, I told my best friend, and she was all, "You've only known him six months.
" But I didn't care.
He was the one.
How could he do this? This is insane.
Who is this woman? Sam would never He loved me.
Our kids meant everything to him.
Apparently there was more to it than just the affair, Mrs.
Parker.
Your husband was using a false name at his job.
Well, I don't understand.
Why would he do that? We're still trying to figure that out.
But from what we understand, he met Miss Reed at his office.
He started there about six months ago.
He'd been passed over for a promotion at his old firm.
There are not a lot of opportunities in green solutions, so he took the job, even though it was in the city.
Green solutions, as in environmentally conscious? He did corporate consulting.
How to reduce waste, save energy.
It was a passion of his.
It's very commendable.
Well, all that working and commuting were running him ragged, so he found a cheap sublet.
It was hard, but if it all worked out, we were going to move down to the city so that we could all be together.
Mrs.
Parker, did you have any idea that your husband was having an affair? I know what you're thinking.
Why didn't I notice the signs? We have two children together.
We do not have a nanny, so every second of every minute of my day is about my kids.
And if there was an issue, I'd call Sam on his cell phone, and he would always answer.
I never, never thought I'd be sitting here justifying my marriage.
With the wife, it was "Only call my cell during the week" routine.
With the fiancée, he pulled out the trusty "I can't call you from the hospital" act.
Man, my girlfriend freaks out if I don't check in, like, every hour.
You do check in, like, every hour.
Sometimes more.
This guy had both of these women believing that they were his one and only.
People believe what they want to believe.
Till the dead truth sets in.
What, you think one of them caught on to what Sam was doing? And didn't take too kindly when they discovered they weren't the only woman in his life.
I don't know.
They seemed pretty shocked to me.
Yeah, to me, too, but we've gotta cover all of our bases.
Both of them had soft alibis.
The wife said that she was watching TV while the kids were upstairs sleeping.
And the fiancée said that she was home alone getting ready to meet him.
We'll run phone and financials, see if anything pops.
Thank you.
- Could I run - Right.
Do you think he would've gone through with it? Through with what? Marrying Sarah if he hadn't gotten killed.
Well, that was a pretty big rock he put on her finger.
With the fake identity he had set up, the county clerk's office never would have flagged him for someone who was already married.
Yeah, but Sam was pretending to be Jake before he met Sarah.
- I don't understand the fake identity.
- Maybe to land the job? I understand fibbing on your resume, but changing your identity? The math doesn't quite add up for me.
You know what math doesn't add up for me? - Two wives.
- One wife too many for you? Two wives too many.
Seems like the common denominator in that equation is you.
Good news.
I'm finally embracing the lecture you gave me on the importance of organic food.
You made my lunch? You think I'm gonna let you risk your life on the vending machines and stale donuts of the break - Wow.
- What? You look so grown up.
- Really? - Really.
- Well, Gram said presentation is vital.
- Well I forgot my phone.
That ever happen to you with me? One day you look, and you see your boy is all grown up? I'm still waiting for that moment, actually.
I set you up for that, didn't I? Okay, so this is the property room.
It's where we keep all the items that we find at a crime scene that aren't classified as evidence.
- Sort of like a lost and found? - Sort of.
Why don't the victims' families claim this stuff? Well, loved ones are aware of the big ticket items, like rings and watches.
But things like sunglasses and lighters, those usually go unclaimed.
Are these case numbers? Exactly, so the idea is to get rid of all of this stuff and stick it into storage.
But before we do that, we have to catalog it, just in case someone comes in with a claim.
Okay, so you need a description of every item along with its corresponding case number downloaded into the database.
And I know that this isn't exactly what you were thinking of when you asked to volunteer, but we're low on manpower, and this would be very helpful.
Don't worry about it.
This place is gonna be so organized when I'm done, - you won't even recognize it.
- I bet I won't.
- Detective Beckett? - Huh? I know my dad can sometimes be a handful.
And by sometimes, I mean all the time.
But I wanna let you know you don't have to worry about me.
I'm all about getting the job done.
Beckett.
- Sir.
- Well? - Alexis? She's fine.
You know, her first day at preschool, I hid outside in the bushes all day just to make sure she was all right.
First time my son went to summer camp, I followed the bus all the way to the Adirondacks.
You two are both either very sweet or very creepy.
Super let us into Sam Parker's apartment.
Jake Holland's apartment.
- Same guy, bro.
Yeah, just trying to keep it straight for everybody.
Anyway, there were no signs of a struggle, and Sam's bag was - Jake's bag.
- Was still sitting by the door from when he came home from visiting his family in Connecticut.
Which explains why we found the Sam Parker wallet on him when he was killed, as opposed to this one we found in his dresser.
Jake Holland's wallet.
It's got his driver's license with his New York address, work ID, the whole shebang.
Please tell me that's the old double-sided picture frame gag.
Lovely fiancée which can easily be swapped out for the wife and kids, should they ever visit Daddy in the big city.
Big news is we found this sitting on the kitchen counter.
There's a voicemail you're gonna want to hear.
I'm not going to let you get away with this, you worthless piece of trash.
If you don't call me back tonight, then my next call is to Helen.
Somebody caught on to Sam's double life.
We ran the number.
Belongs to one Charles DePetro.
DePetro? That's his wife's maiden name.
- It's hyphenated on her driver's license.
Mmm-hmm.
- Charlie is Helen's brother.
- He found out what Sam was up to.
And decided to take out the trash.
Mr.
DePetro, I can understand the instinct of protection.
If I had a sister, and her husband was cheating on her, - I'd want to set him straight, too.
- That's not why I left the message.
Did you know that Sam was cheating on Helen? Not until she called me last night and told me he'd been killed.
Then what did you mean when you said, - "I won't let you get away with this"? - He owed me money.
So, Sam borrowed money from you? Twenty Gs.
He needed it to cover the mortgage.
They'd already borrowed against the equity in the house.
- And what was the arrangement? - He said he needed a couple months.
When he started the new job in the city, I figured he'd be making more dough.
- Helen didn't know about this? - He didn't want her to worry.
And as long as he paid me back, I said it'd be our secret.
- And did he pay any of it back? - Not a cent.
He kept saying he was pulling in less money.
I thought he was lying.
Why take the job that far from home and force Helen to deal with the kids on her own? Comes out now, he wasn't doing it for his family.
He wanted the freedom to cheat on my sister.
Brother's alibi checked out.
He was working late when SamlJake was shot.
Any word on Parker's financials? Yeah, they were a paycheck away from defaulting on their mortgage.
You know, the brother said that Sam was pulling in less money at his new job.
If Sam was strapped for cash, why would he quit the job he had to take one that paid less? Didn't his wife say he was passed over for a promotion? Maybe it was a pride thing.
Yeah, but you factor in the sublet, not to mention gas, that's a high price to pay for pride.
Yeah, well, never underestimate the fragility of the male ego.
- See, that's just a stereotype - Don't.
Don't.
That's She is baiting us, all right.
Just ignore her, and she'll lose her witchy powers.
You wish.
All right, let's go off to Parker's office.
Lose something? Where Where's my broom? - I was looking.
- Yeah.
Yeah? For the record, I did not.
I don't know.
Maybe I should've seen it.
His resume was almost too good to be true.
Top of his class at Berkeley, Stanford Business School.
He must've really needed this job to lie so bad.
So, there's no other reason you can think of as to why he lied? - No.
- When you hired him, did you look into any of his references? Of course I did, Detective.
I called them all myself.
And I got nothing but glowing recommendations.
For a guy who didn't exist.
I'd like to take a look at a copy of his resume, if you still have it.
I'll have human resources e-mail it over to you.
Before we go, did you know that Mr.
Parker was romantically involved with one of your employees? Sarah, yeah, she's one of my best engineers.
Ever notice any drama there? Drunken fighting at an office party, that sort of thing? No.
Never.
They actually seemed like a pretty solid couple.
And she must be going through hell right now.
We're sorry.
The number you have reached is not in service.
Please check the number, or try your call That's the last one.
Every single reference he gave is suddenly out of service? When, according to his boss, they were all up and running six months ago? So who was answering the dummy lines? Let's get a warrant for all these numbers.
I'd like to know who they were registered to.
Okay.
This guy went to some pretty serious lengths to get this job.
They must have amazing dental.
Ew.
I don't know where you got this work ethic, but it certainly was not from me.
- How's it going? - Pretty good.
The computer was a little glitchy at first, but that's because no one had run a software update in, like, two years.
Plus it picked up some viruses I had to zap.
I am realizing that you are way over-qualified for this job.
Told you she was a smarty.
But I do have one question.
Like you said before, most of the items here are pretty junky and meaningless.
I did find this, though.
Oh! It's a brag book.
So you can brag about your kids.
I used to have one in my wallet.
Now, it's on my phone.
Some of the pictures are really old.
Like, they're one of a kind.
It seems like something worth returning, only it wasn't tagged or anything.
Yeah, but the problem is, is without a case number, it's difficult to find out who the victim was and how to get this back to the family.
Okay, so then it just goes in the storage box, right? I'll tell you what.
I'll give you a list of all the detectives who possibly worked this case.
Show them the pictures, maybe it'll strike up a memory.
Only, don't bother them if they seem busy.
- You're one to talk.
- Thanks so much.
Mmm-hmm.
Excuse me.
Beckett.
- Hmm.
What's this? - Dad.
Okay.
I'll be right there.
- The fiancée's here.
She wants to talk.
- Have fun.
I knew she looked familiar at the morgue, - but I couldn't place it at first.
- So, you're saying that last night wasn't the first time you had seen Helen Parker? Well, there was something about her face.
And then it hit me.
I had seen her in front of Jake's apartment a couple weeks ago.
Was she leaving the building? No.
She was sitting in her car across the street.
- And you're sure it was Helen Parker? - I'm sure of it now.
A positive identification from all the way across the street in a car? I made a note of it because the way she was staring at me was creepy.
Like she was sizing me up.
Miss Reed, the past 24 hours have been overwhelming, to say the least.
It's not uncommon for witnesses' memories to be confused after a traumatic event.
- We just need to be absolutely sure.
- Look, I know what I saw.
She was sitting in a silver hybrid staring at the front of the building.
And did you tell your fiancé about this? No.
At the time, I just dismissed it.
But now It makes me wonder if I'm the only person in the whole situation who didn't know what was really going on.
Silver hybrid.
I guess Helen did know about her husband's affair.
That'd be a pretty strong motive.
You came all this way because she told you some crazy story about me being parked outside the apartment.
Mrs.
Parker, we have to take every lead seriously.
Did you ever think that maybe she made this up to take the attention off of herself? - She was specific about your car.
- A silver hybrid? That's like saying somebody was wearing black shoes.
That still doesn't answer the question.
No.
In the six months Sam had the apartment, I never went there.
You never popped down just once for a date night? I mean, Connecticut's not that far a drive.
Well, when you have two children under the age of 10, popping down for date night midweek is nearly impossible.
Sam only came home every weekend, and I would see him then.
Okay.
Well, we just needed to check.
It's possible that Miss Reed was mistaken.
Did it ever occur to you that maybe she was the one that knew he was lying? We're considering every scenario.
We got a lot of hang-ups last month.
Do you think that's a coincidence? Did you tell Sam about it? I did.
He said it was telemarketers, but it was her.
How can you be sure? I know she has our phone number.
She's called since Sam was killed.
Sarah called you? She called about the funeral details.
Can you believe that? If she thinks she's gonna show her face here, she's sadly mistaken.
Was that the only time you heard from Sarah? No.
She called this morning and left some ridiculous message about getting things back from Sam that she had given him.
And then, on and on about some pen that had been her grandfather's We were married for 10 years and eight months.
If she thinks that her six-month affair can hold a candle to that I'm not giving her anything.
That was a long drive.
I can see why he got the apartment in the city.
So, I did some background on Parker's job situation.
Turns out that his old employer, Connecticut Solutions, has been circling the drain.
Over the last couple of years, they've lost half their market share to his new employer, New York Recycle.
Sounds like Sam was abandoning a sinking ship.
To join the winning team.
Supposedly, New York Recycle came up with some new technology that turned out to be a game changer.
Apparently, these two CEOs have been major rivals from day one.
Like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, Kobe and LeBron, Jolie and Aniston.
We get the picture.
Rivals.
Yes.
My point was maybe that's why Sam faked his resume.
He didn't think that New York Recycle would hire him if they knew he was from Connecticut Solutions.
- Well, that makes sense.
- Thank you.
You're kidding me! Thank you.
You've been very helpful.
Hey, the warrants just came through on the numbers on Sam's resume.
His references' phone numbers, they're all billed and registered to Connecticut Solutions, his old firm.
Okay, why would they set up dummy phone lines and give phony recommendations? - They wanted Sam to get hired.
- He wasn't passed over for promotion.
He was planted at New York Recycle as a corporate spy.
I'm sorry.
I'm just trying to get my head around this idea.
I mean, this is the guy who organized the potato sack race at the Labor Day picnic.
Well, there's considerable circumstantial evidence that he was planted here by his former employer.
We just don't have the proof yet.
Obviously, no one wants to get to the bottom of this more than I do, so you'll have our complete cooperation.
What do you think Connecticut Solutions was after? Well, it's our battery recycling technology.
I'm sure you both know you're not supposed to dump your batteries in with your trash.
Now batteries need to be disposed of properly, or else the acids and the heavy metals will leach out - And get into the water table.
- Exactly, yes.
The problem is, storing battery sludge can be quite expensive.
But we've figured out a way to actually recycle the stuff.
So when you bid on a contract to haul away old batteries, you can do it cheaper.
Which is why Connecticut Solutions lost half of its market share to you.
Bottom line is they can't compete.
Was Sarah Reed on the team of engineers - that developed that technology? - Yeah.
That's right.
That's probably why Sam Parker went out of his way to romance her.
For access.
It's pretty smart.
Pardon me, but don't you mean despicable? The two aren't mutually exclusive.
Would you mind if our forensic IT team took a look at Sarah's computer and Sam's, Jake's, as well? They should be able to tell us whether your security was compromised, and whether he got ahold of anything proprietary.
Anything we can do to help.
Okay, thanks.
Forensic IT's taken possession of Sarah and Sam's computers.
You know, there's a lot of corporate secrets I can see sending a spy to steal, but all this skulking around for some battery sludge? Well, like the man said, it's a business like any other.
But whoever runs Connecticut Solutions is gonna have a hell of a lot of explaining to do.
Is it true? - Miss Reed? - What they're saying, is it true? Look, I can't go into details, but there's evidence that Jake was trying to steal information.
Then it was all an act? You know, that doesn't mean he didn't care about you.
That's exactly what it means.
He never loved me.
He was just using me the whole time.
This guy was good.
He was running a secret e-mail client from inside a hidden partition in his hard drive.
English.
For my partner here.
He set things up so that he could send e-mails outside the company network - in case anyone ever came snooping.
- What kind of e-mails? I speak computer.
This, however, looks like chemistry.
Was he communicating with anyone in particular? Yeah, all these e-mails were to the same guy.
ABerman@conn-sol.
net.
Andy Berman, he's the CEO of Connecticut Solutions.
He must've been who Sam was reporting to.
They exchanged a bunch of e-mails a couple months ago.
Then nothing till the night Sam was killed.
- And what'd that one say? - "Call me.
We need to talk.
" Okay, yes it's true.
Sam e-mailed me the other night, and I called him.
- From a pay phone? - At a gas station near my house.
Very cloak-and-dagger of you.
He said he needed to meet me in the city.
He said he finally figured out how New York Recycle was pulling it off.
So you admit that you planted him there to steal their battery technology? They've been underbidding us left and right, stealing our business.
Getting our hands on their recycling method was a way to level the playing field.
They weren't gonna share it, so I offered Sam a million-dollar payday if he could get a hold of it.
And when he called and said he'd completed his mission, you rushed right over.
The thing about Sam is he and I had been down this road before.
What do you mean? He'd told you he'd found it before? I wasted hundreds of thousands on research and development with the stuff he brought me.
The chemical formulas were never complete.
So when my engineers tried to fill in the blanks and test them, we failed every time.
Finally, we ran out of money, so a couple of months ago, I had to cut Sam loose.
If Sam wasn't working for you, what was he calling about? He said he needed to show me something.
- What? - I don't know.
I drove into the city to meet him at his apartment, but as I pulled up, there were cops all over the entrance.
I got a bad feeling about it, so I turned around, and I drove home.
That's a very interesting story, Mr.
Berman, but I have a different ending.
One where you went upstairs to Sam's apartment, and he told you that he finally found the real thing.
You said so yourself.
Your company didn't have the million dollars to pay him.
So you did the one thing that you could.
You killed him, and you stole it in a desperate attempt to save your sinking company.
I would like to call my lawyer now, please.
It was pretty cool, the way you filled in the story there.
I think I must be rubbing off on you.
- That sounded dirtier than I meant it.
Yo, Beckett.
Dispatch just got a call out of Connecticut.
New Haven PD have two women involved in an altercation.
Speaking of dirty.
And the ladies in question are asking for you - before they're taken in for booking.
- For me? Why? - Oh, no.
Oh, yes.
They're holding Helen Parker for assault and Sarah Reed for trespassing.
A wife and fiancée catfight! Please tell me we can stop for popcorn on the way.
Castle.
Pictures.
Miss Reed was trespassing in the detached office.
When Mrs.
Parker confronted her, an altercation ensued.
She tried to rip my purse off my arm, almost dislocated my shoulder.
Miss Reed, what were you doing in the Parkers' office? - She wouldn't give me back my pen.
- Your pen? My grandfather's fountain pen.
I gave it to Jake.
Sam, his name was Sam! I gave it to him before I knew he was a lying sack.
- And she wouldn't give it back to me.
- I looked for it in the office.
There was nothing there.
I have no idea what she's talking about.
Really? Well, then what do you call this? - That was in the office? - Yes, it was right there in the drawer.
How she could have missed it, I don't know.
Unless of course, she was lying and never bothered to look.
Miss Reed, I understand how you're feeling, - but breaking into someone's home - No, this is my grandfather's pen.
I never would've given it to Jake if I had known.
Ladies, I'm wondering if maybe we can put this whole nasty episode behind us.
She broke into my house.
God knows what else she stole.
Do you mind if I take a look at the purse? Not at all.
Happy now? Is everyone okay? Can we all just walk away? If I ever catch your face around here For crying out loud, give it a rest.
No wonder the guy had an ulcer.
I would, too, if I was married to you.
An ulcer? What are you talking about, you crazy lunatic? - Do not call me crazy - Look! Look! Hello! Ladies, look! I understand that you're both angry and feeling betrayed, but taking it out on each other isn't going to help.
So, you can both press charges and make a bad thing worse.
Or you can calm down and walk away.
Option number two is a limited time offer.
- Love you.
- See you.
Please tell me you did not sleep in the break room again.
I went home.
I just couldn't stop thinking about that catfight last night.
Would you think less of me if I said, "Me, too"? I kept thinking that, that was a long way for Sarah to go just to pick up that pen.
And that whole thing with the ulcers was I know.
That was a great Desperate Housewives moment, the way Sarah just rubbed Helen's face in it.
The thing is, there was nothing about an ulcer in Lanie's autopsy report.
- Sam had a clean bill of health.
- Then what was Sarah talking about? The boys are looking into it right now.
But according to Sam's date book, he had doctor's appointments every Tuesday for the last three weeks.
Well, if he was being a hypochondriac about it, they would've told him right away he didn't have an ulcer.
So, what was he doing every Tuesday at 1:00 p.
M? Another woman? So, the doctor's office has no patient records for Sam Parker or Jake Holland.
Car service Sam was using confirmed that he gave the doctor's office as his destination when he was scheduling the cars.
Thanks, Louise.
But I talked to the drivers.
Sam changed the destination once they picked him up.
First week, he headed out to this residential address out in Long Island.
The next week he drove out to New York Recycle's processing plant up in Paramus.
And then, last week, he hit the port out in Newark.
Sam wouldn't have wanted Sarah to get onto his 007 routine, so maybe he was slipping away to do his spying.
- At some house in Long Island? - So, another woman? She and Sam were taking long romantic walks at Port Newark.
Why you gotta ruin the dream? Listen, Sam was changing his destination last minute with the car service because he was trying to hide something.
So, let's look in the addresses and see why he felt the need to give Sarah a cover story.
State law requires a 10-minute break every five hours.
Thanks, Dad.
I needed this.
So, how goes your property room sleuthing? Not amazing.
Oh, no.
What happened to that list of detectives Beckett gave you? I just hit my last dead end.
Well, what's important is, is that you tried.
I know.
I just really wanted to get those pictures back to the victim's family.
I mean, I'd want them if they were pictures that you'd carried around.
If you're imagining a scenario where I am no longer here, and watching over your every move, and protecting you from every danger, I can assure you that will never happen.
- I'm just saying I think it's important.
- No, you're right.
But remember, there's a reason why a lot of this stuff goes unclaimed.
I guess I just need to focus on cataloging for the rest of my time here.
And before you know it, you'll be retired from law enforcement and back in the 11 th grade.
- Thanks, Dad.
- For what? You're welcome.
You just gave me a new lead.
So, I'll finish your cocoa.
Two relationships.
Can you imagine the stress of trying to pull that off? Yes.
From a literary point of view.
- Hey, what'd you guys find? - Well, we canvassed using a picture.
We came up with a longshoreman in Port Newark who remembered Sam.
Apparently, he'd been asking about shipping manifests.
Sounds random.
The longshoreman couldn't help him, so Sam moved on.
What about the address from the first Tuesday? Here is where it gets good.
The Long Island address is the residence of a single mother, Lauren Branston, and her 6-year-old daughter.
I told you.
It was another woman! Our love triangle just became a love square.
Nope.
Still a triangle.
Different name.
But that's The fiancée, Sarah Reed.
Well, it looks like Sam wasn't the only one hiding his identity.
The engagement, the relationship.
We know they were all fake.
Love is a hard thing to disprove, Detective Beckett.
This is a copy of your real driver's license, and this is your Social Security card.
And this is the employment record from New York Recycle under an assumed identity.
- Nothing like a fresh start.
- We did a little digging.
Turns out, New York Recycle isn't the first company you've worked for under a new identity.
- A girl's gotta make a living.
- Here's what I'm thinking.
Lance Carlberg figured out that Sam was a spy.
He contacted you, an expert in corporate espionage, - and asked you to intercept him.
- I was just doing my job.
Leading a man on isn't a crime, is it, Detective? Should be.
I'm not looking into the leading-on part.
I'm looking into a murder.
And you had access to Sam's apartment.
- And you were hired to take care of him.
- I was hired to get in his way.
It was supposed to look like I had access to classified information, so when I struck up a flirtation, he thought the relationship would give him the access he needed.
Once you had the relationship, what was the plan? I just had to leave my laptop lying around his apartment once or twice.
My key card ended up in his laundry one weekend.
Men think they're smart.
The trick is to keep letting them think it.
Um So, what was on the computer? Lance was feeding Sam these partial chemical formulas.
He thought it would keep Connecticut Solutions going in circles.
- Why not just fire him? - Why not kill two birds with one stone? Keep the enemy close and run Connecticut into the ground.
And what makes you think that Sam was falling for your routine? Well, I wondered at first, because he wouldn't sleep with me.
And then I realized that he was being faithful to his wife, so I pretended to buy his whole "I'm old-fashioned" thing.
He thought he was playing me.
He was.
This is Sam's autopsy report.
- Sam didn't have an ulcer.
- He was seeing a doctor for it.
No.
That was just a story.
He made you.
No way.
I would've been able to tell.
I hate to burst this little Alias bubble you got going on, but Sam found your house in Long Island.
He knew you were more than just a flirty engineer.
He played along not to arouse suspicion, but I think you already knew that.
You knew that he made you, and that he found the secret method.
And that's why you killed him.
I think that sounds like a great Spy vs.
Spy story, but there's one problem.
The night Sam was killed, I was at my daughter's recital, and there's about 20 other parents that can vouch for that.
I like her, for the murder.
See that crazy look in her eye? That's crazy killer look.
Yo.
Sarah's alibi checks out.
Dance teacher puts her in the front row at the time of the murder.
She's still got crazy eyes.
He never loved her, she never loved him, and they both thought that they were playing each other.
Which still doesn't explain who killed him.
We're missing something.
The pen.
If Sarah's relationship with Sam was a fake Then why did she give him her grandfather's special pen? And what was Sarah really looking for in Sam's office last night? Nothing.
This doesn't make any sense.
We went through Sarah's purse.
If there was something in it, we would have found it.
- Castle, what are you doing? - I'm writing a scene.
Let's say Sarah found what it was she was looking for.
She had it in her hand.
That's when she would've heard Helen coming out of the house.
She would have had to have gotten rid of whatever it was that she found.
Great.
You wanna write the part where we find it? So Helen would never know.
What do you know? Power mode is still on.
We're gonna need some tape.
These are pics that our vic took while he was supposedly at the doctor.
According to New York Recycle, they ship their battery sludge up to the recycling plant in Paramus.
You don't need a boat to get to Paramus.
Secret method, my ass.
They weren't processing it.
They were switching labels and dumping it.
That Sam was quite the Erin Brockovich, wasn't he? There was no secret method to battery recycling.
You shipped the sludge out on cargo barges and dumped it in the ocean.
The money you saved on storage and processing, you just put into your own pocket instead.
Listen, I know my rights.
And I don't have to say anything.
You sold the bill of goods to your customers.
You promised them that they were gonna help save the world.
Instead, you poisoned it for money.
What happened, Carlberg? Sam confront you? Threaten to ruin you? I didn't kill anyone.
And you, you have no proof.
Actually, I do.
We ran ballistics.
It's a match.
We found it in the dumpster outside your apartment building.
Had you recycled, you might have gotten away with it.
The night that your husband was murdered, he went back to his office to grab the last few pieces of evidence he had collected.
And by then Carlberg had already become suspicious.
When he realized that your husband was contacting his old boss for help in exposing his company, Carlberg attempted to buy his silence.
- But Sam wouldn't accept the bribe.
- Of course not, not Sam.
You said that the environment was the most important thing to your husband.
Well, he died trying to save it.
And we thought that you should know that.
Thank you.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Check it out.
The EPA is shutting down New York Recycle.
Beckett.
Anna Noles? No, I don't know any Anna Noles.
I do.
- Yeah.
Send her up.
- So, who's Anna Noles? The pictures I found belonged to her mother.
- Really? How'd you track them down? - It was something you said, Dad.
About me retiring from law enforcement.
It got me thinking.
What if the officer who had originally worked the case had since retired? Nice work.
I'm very impressed you were able to close this case.
Thank you.
I mean, I know it's not like the important stuff you do.
But I You know, when a person loses someone, this is important.
I bet that's her.
You know, maybe you should talk to her.
Thank you.
She's a chip off the old block, isn't she?